


Violence

by rudbeckia



Series: Random Worlds [38]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Some Fluff, benarmie, brendol hux is nasty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 16:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12752061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudbeckia/pseuds/rudbeckia
Summary: Maratelle and Brendol react to the news that Armitage is, apparently, engaged to Ben. It does not go well.





	Violence

Armitage made coffee and parked his parents on the sofas in the living room. Brendol complained about the discomfort and Maratelle tutted at the magnolia walls and beige carpet, scarred by some previous tenant’s mishap with the iron. Armitage fetched his pillows to offer as extra cushions then went back to the kitchen where Ben worked on lunch. He closed the door gently then threw his hands up in a gesture of disbelief.  
“Fiancé?” he said. “Fiancé! Oh my god, Ben! We’ve got no rings and no nascent wedding plans. Maratelle will probably want to interfere. Shit!”  
“Stay calm, sweetheart,” said Ben with a grin. “Okay, I proposed last night and it was a complete surprise so we have not had time to plan.”  
“Yeah. Long engagement. Got to finish the Ph.D. first,” added Armitage rolling his eyes and sighing “Hug?”  
“Sure.” Ben turned and enveloped Armitage in his arms just as the kitchen door opened. On hearing the click, Armitage turned his head and kissed Ben.  
“Oh, something is burning!” said Maratelle, pointing at the hob. “Armitage, your father says you are to go talk to him.”  
Armitage sighed and kissed Ben again quickly then murmured, _”here we go — good luck.”_

Ben gave Maratelle an open smile and finished toasting pine nuts. She returned an icy glare.  
“Fiancé. Well, well. When do you plan a ceremony?”  
“Oh, it was all a bit sudden. We have no firm plans yet. Not even a date.”  
“Good,” replied Maratelle. “You will not marry Armitage. The idea is ridiculous. If he is to take his place with his father, he will marry someone who will further his father’s business interests. We already have potential candidates in mind.”  
”I see,” said Ben. “And you have agreed this with Armitage?”  
Maratelle snorted. “In time he will see reason. Leave him. He’s not for you.”

A sharp sound that started Ben and an incoherent yell came from the living room. Maratelle did not even look round, but Ben turned off the cooker and pushed past her. As he reached the living room door, it opened and Armitage came out, red faced and snarling. Armitage grabbed Ben’s arm and pulled him up the short hallway and out the front door, down two flights of stairs to the pavement then up the street and around the corner. He let go and stood with his shoulders hunched, arms taut by his sides, fists clenched and face set in a grimace. Ben waited for half a minute then cradled Armitage’s head in both hands and kissed his forehead.  
“Babe?” Armitage’s eyes swivelled to meet Ben’s gaze and Ben sighed. “I assume your father told you the same as your stepmother told me? She said I wasn’t allowed to marry you and they had someone picked out for you.”  
Armitage gritted his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.  
“You know they can’t do that, right?” said Ben. “I know they’re your folks but your dad’s an asshole and your stepmom’s a bitch. If you need to keep the peace we can go tell them we’re not actually together, get through the day and say goodbye and good riddance.”  
Armitage shook Ben’s hands from his head and glared at him.  
“No.” He spat the word out. “No way. If there was a way I could get married to you right now and rub their faces in it I would. Maybe then he’d actually disown me and leave me alone.”  
“Mmhmm, but we can’t.” Ben shrugged. “Let’s walk?”

Armitage allowed himself to be led further up the street to the small local park, not much more than a rectangle of grass with paths cutting its diagonals and a kidney-shaped duck pond scooped out of the end furthest from the road. They sat on a green-painted wooden bench and watched as a couple of ducks and a coot diverted their lazy paths to float closer in the hope of sandwich crusts. Ben put his arm around Armitage’s shoulders.  
“You still furious?” he asked, watching Armitage’s profile. Armitage scowled.  
“Yes.”  
“Okay.”  
There was a minute or so of quiet while they watched the birds and listened to cars passing on the road behind them. Armitage sighed deeply. “I want them out of my life. How does one divorce one’s parents?”  
Ben laughed. “If you find out, let me know.”  
“Ha!” Armitage rolled his eyes. “My fa— _Brendol_ told me that I have to move out and go live in his house, quit my Ph.D. and work for him. He said if I don’t he’ll find a way to have you deported.”  
“You know he can’t do that either, right?” Ben watched Armitage’s expression soften a little, and smiled. “He’s full of shit.”  
“I hate him.”  
“Want to go back home and throw them out?”  
Armitage stood up and looked at Ben. “I wish I could. Maybe he’s right that I’m weak. Maybe next time he slaps me I’ll hit him back.”  
“He _what?”_ said Ben after Armitage’s words had sunk in.  
“Nothing,” said Armitage. “It doesn’t matter.”

On the slow walk back to the flat, Ben offered to remove Brendol from the premises physically, but Armitage said not to give him any reason to make a formal complaint to the university. Armitage suggested going to Mitaka’s place for a few hours in the hope that Brendol and Maratelle might get bored and leave quietly. Ben suggested also sending Phasma round with the university weightlifting team and a crate of beer. Armitage cheered up a little and by the time they reached their street he had relaxed enough to shake some of the tension from his arms and shoulders. Pre-warned that Brendol and Maratelle had not left by the presence of a dark blue Mercedes parked by the kerb, Armitage and Ben paused in the building’s doorway, hugged and sighed before going back upstairs.

“Typical of you to run,” said Brendol with a sneer as Armitage entered the flat. “You’re as weak-willed as ever. Pathetic. You’re not fit to be a Hux. I should stop your allowance until you fall in line.”  
Ben clenched his jaw and fought not to intervene. Armitage went to the cupboard and retrieved his parents’ coats and flung them at Brendol’s feet. Brendol’s hand shot out and cuffed Armitage on the side of his head.  
“THAT’S IT!” Ben yelled and lunged forward. He grabbed Brendol by the back of his shirt and pulled him to the door, opened it, and propelled him down the stone steps. Armitage stood with his hand on his ringing ear, barely hearing Ben threaten Brendol with violence should he ever show up again. Maratelle scoffed and glared at Armitage.  
“Pick up my coat.”  
Armitage blinked. He picked up the coats and threw them out of the living room window, watching them flutter and drop to the pavement next to where Ben held Brendol squirming against the side of his car with one hand and gesticulated at him with the other. Armitage turned and growled at Maratelle, _”Get. Out!”_

Two minutes later, as the Merc turned right at the bottom of the street, Ben slammed then punched the wooden door and roared in frustrated anger. Armitage burst into tears. Defused by Armitage’s distress, Ben stepped across the hallway and held him.  
“Shit, I’m sorry.” Ben stroked Armitage’s hair. “Come with me.” He led Armitage into the bedroom and sat beside him on the bed. “You wait here. Okay?”

Armitage nodded and wiped his face on his sleeves. Ben opened the living room windows wide and propped the door open to get a through draught to blow away all traces of Maratelle’s perfume and Brendol’s aftershave. He removed the throws from the sofas and the pillowcases and cushion covers, bundling them into a plastic bag and stuffing it in the cupboard. He checked on Armitage, smiling to see the curtains pulled shut and a lump under the covers. Next, Ben cleaned the already-clean bathroom and filled the bath with warm frothy water. Last of all, he closed the front door and the windows. 

“C’mon babe.” Ben rocked the lump gently and Armitage’s face appeared, eyes red-rimmed and blinking. “Get up?” Armitage swung his legs over to sit then stood. Ben led him to the bathroom.  
“Get in the bath. I’ll bring you some clean PJs. When you’re done, we can have lunch.” Ben sucked his lip and frowned for a second. “Want me to call someone? Mitaka?” Armitage shook his head. Ben stroked his hair once and left him alone.

Armitage stared at the water for a moment then dropped his clothes and left them crumpled on the floor. He sank into the fragrant warmth and closed his eyes.  
_Everything will go back to the way it was,_ he thought. _We’ll be flatmates again and friends. And that’s okay. That’s enough for me._ Armitage sighed and washed his face to hide signs of fresh tears. _It always is._


End file.
